The surface-mounted passive component, called OMNIA mXTEND, turns the ground plane of a printed circuit board (PCB) into a high-efficiency radiating element that can operate between 400 MHz and 8,000 MHz, allowing device manufacturers to choose specific bands without requiring size modifications.
Compared to three independent antennas, OMNIA mXTEND provides extra degrees of freedom, requiring a single clearance area while enabling enhanced long-range connectivity performance across multiple frequencies, making it suitable also for remote monitoring applications.
The advanced multi-block design minimises radio coupling, enhancing performance, reducing the matching network BoM and facilitating certifications - a crucial factor for IoT devices where every dB matters.
Ignion’s release also marks a significant step toward eco-friendly IoT solutions by reducing material usage by up to four times and cutting manufacturing emissions compared to producing multiple antenna components.
Engineered for high efficiency and low power requirements, OMNIA extends device lifecycles, directly contributing to a reduced environmental CO2 footprint.
Results of measurements on an evaluation board demonstrate that the average efficiency of an OMNIA mXTEND device is greater than 55% from 790 MHz to 960 MHz (cellular), over 75% in the 1,561 MHz – 1,606 MHz range (GNSS), and greater than 65% between 2,400 MHz and 2,500 MHz (Wi-Fi/BLE).
Peak gains for these frequency ranges are 0.9 dBi, 4.0 dBi, and 3.5 dBi respectively, with corresponding maximum VSWR figures of 2.61:1, 1.5:1, and 2.0:1.
OMNIA mXTEND is intended to set a new standard in multi-radio IoT design with its plug-and-play simplicity, reducing the need for complex RF adjustments and accelerating time-to-market for multi-radio projects.
Intended for applications like asset tracking, automotive telematics, smart metering, and industrial IoT, OMNIA provides seamless connectivity while reducing material use, providing both performance enhancements and sustainability gains.
